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Humanism and Society

The Quintessential Secular Institution Frank L. Pasquale

f you were asked to identify the most group who, following one of these lec- So why do so many secularists unleash

I pervasive and influential secular institu-


tion in human affairs, what would you
say? I suspect that most would reflexively
tures, reported that he owns his own cor-
poration and wondered whether such
views were a fair reflection of group mem-
nearly as much opprobrium about “the
corporation” as they do about “religion”?
One possible answer is that secularists
think of civil government, but I don’t think bers’ attitudes. Several members indicated tend to be reflexively anti-institutional.
that is the right answer. Governments, after that, by and large, they were. He expressed They exhibit a strong individualistic and
all, range from substantially secular to theo- dismay at what he viewed as one-sided autonomous streak that prompts suspicion
cratic with many gradations in between. overgeneralization, particularly in a group toward aggregate human behavior of any
Even in the United States, there is continual that espoused reason and critical thinking, kind—particularly large-scale aggregate
reference—symbolic and substantive—to and never returned. behavior. One problem with this, however, is
religion (overwhelmingly Christianity) in the There is a curious irony about this pos- that those who tend to be the most corpo-
halls of government. A better answer, I ture, since for-profit corporations are rate-critical also tend to be the most sup-
think, is the for-profit corporation, which arguably the most pervasively secular of all portive of active and interventionist (secular)
may well be the quintessential secular insti- human institutions. Leaving aside the rare government, arguably the ultimate form of
tution. All the more paradoxical, then, that company that makes direct reference to aggregate human behavior. On their view,
so many secularists hold an almost reflexive- religious ideas or identities (such as Service- corporations cannot be allowed to exercise
ly negative view of “the corporation.” master, whose corporate policy reflects their power unchecked, and the only institu-
There is a notable streak of anti-corpo- founder Marion E. Wade’s commitment to tion sufficiently powerful to act as a mean-
ratism among secularists. This was drawn “honor God in all we do”), and allowing for ingful check—by exerting policing authori-
to my attention most forcefully by a series religious employee associations in some com- ty—upon them is a government backed by
of lectures that at a local secular humanist panies (alongside bowling groups or other “the will of the people.”
organization in which the (multinational) voluntary employee interest
corporation was virtually demonized. In- groups), most corporations are
terestingly, these lectures were delivered— overwhelmingly religion-free
to consistently rave reviews—by a retired zones devoted to decidedly this-
(but still quite Lutheran) chaplain. While worldly pursuits. Most employ- “Most corporations are overwhelmingly
the overwhelmingly atheistic and skeptical ees fulfill their duties as employ-
audience and he lay on opposite ends of ees without reference to their
religion-free zones devoted to decidedly
the metaphysical spectrum, the audience’s metaphysical views. Religion is a this-worldly pursuits. Most employees
approving responses and enthusiastic personal matter substantially left fulfill their duties as employees without
applause indicated that he and they shared outside the office.
substantially similar political views. Among The corporation can, in
reference to their metaphysical views.
these views were that corporations are the fact, be viewed as the institu- Religion is a personal matter substantially
root of many of our (and the world’s) social tional embodiment of both left outside the office.”
and economic problems. The corporation individualism and seculariza-
does not deserve legal status as a person. tion. (One of the few schools
Multinational corporations rape, pillage, of thought to explicitly cele-
and plunder the land, labor, and resources brate this observation is the
of the poor in third-world countries. They Objectivism of Ayn Rand.) The corporation Another somewhat ironic, but more
wield too much power. And so on. reflects the gradual ascendance of manu- compelling, explanation is suggested by the
There are, no doubt, merits to these facturers and merchants over churchmen, tone and content of much secularist discus-
and other critiques of both capitalism and princes, peasants, or soldiers as the prime sion about corporations and capitalism.
corporations. But the posture in these lec- movers of society. It represents the aggre- Many politically liberal secularists are critical of
tures tended toward a Manichaean opposi- gate power of individuals acting as creative “the corporation” because they object to the
tion of virtuous liberalism (religious or sec- and autonomous bargainers in the market- “greedy,” “materialistic,” and excessively self-
ular) versus (if you’ll pardon the term) evil place for their time, skills, labor, services, interested motives and behavior exhibited by
incorporated. This was more than enough and goods—with no reference to gods, “some” (or “too many” or “most”) compa-
to perplex a young first-time visitor to the ghosts, or supernatural sanctions. nies, their governing boards, and their top

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executives. The malfeasance of Enron, politically liberal secularists do not like cient faith in an ethical or economic invisible
obscene profits of Exxon, and monopolistic what they see. The mandate for this-world- hand (or any faith in religion), grapple with
machinations of Microsoft are familiar fod- ly success in the marketplace too often what they view as ethically objectionable out-
der. Yet it is notable that corporations exhib- pushes companies, their governors, or their comes of the most secular of human institu-
it many of the very characteristics that secu- employees to test the limits of “reasonable” tions. Of necessity, they turn to the only other
larists explicitly desire in society at large. codes of conduct, professional ethics, or institution with sufficient countervailing
The global corporate arena represents even the law. All too often, they fail to live power to keep corporations within ethically
one of the most pervasive, and pluralistic, up to secularists’ expectations for ethical acceptable bounds—civil government.
secular social and institutional systems in and social responsibility. Selfish self-interest It is by consent, compromise, and social
human affairs. Individuals of many cultures, too often overcomes enlightened self-inter- contract that autonomous individuals
ethnicities, philosophies, colors, and creeds est, to say nothing of reasonable regard for amass and confer power to institutions—
spend the better part of their waking hours others, the commonweal, or the planet. governments—with sufficient force to
collaborating productively on shared aims Ironically, it is this very tendency that reli- check the natural excesses of economic
and activities within corporations. There are gious conservatives attribute (rightly or self-interest in the marketplace (and the
both tacit and explicit rules of proper con- wrongly) to “secular liberals” and the kind corporation). These, of course, must be
duct and of professional ethics, some rein- of society they espouse—diverse individu- secular so that no citizen is disenfranchised
forced by law. Corporations substantially als freely engaging in this-worldly interests or marginalized on the basis of religious
operate in a legally and ethically—if un- and pursuits unencumbered by religion and creed or lack thereof. On these points, lib-
apologetically competitive, self-interested, constrained by moral or legal codes only as eral religionists and irreligionists are sub-
and materialistic—manner. much as is necessary to prevent overt harm stantially agreed.
to others or anarchic chaos. So it is that secular humanist audience
Another irony is that it is reli- members are led by a politically liberal
gious political conservatives, in the Lutheran chaplain in a chorus critical of the
United States at least, who are most pervasive secular institutions (corpora-
“The corporation reflects the gradual among the most active apologists tions) that embody many of the characteris-
ascendance of manufacturers and for free-market capitalism and the tics they seek in society at large. Meanwhile,
unfettered corporation. They do the choral director subtly but unmistakably
merchants over churchmen, princes,
so with the stipulation that wide- suggests that religion is needed to reinforce
peasants, or soldiers as the prime spread religious (read: Christian) ethical behavior in both the corporate arena
movers of society. It represents the commitment should provide both and the secular society espoused by mem-
personal and external moral/ethi- bers of the chorus. Group members gra-
aggregate power of individuals acting as
cal restraints on the behavior of ciously overlook the good chaplain’s “mis-
creative and autonomous bargainers in the participants, even as they conduct guided” religiosity while joining him in de-
marketplace for their time, skills, labor, their everyday affairs in the secular monizing the corporation and calling for
world of the corporation. This government regulation to rein in its objec-
services, and goods—with no reference to
reflects what may be called the tionably self-interested tendencies.
gods, ghosts, or supernatural sanctions.” “Adam Smith model,” in which Perhaps the greatest irony is that the
the homo economicus of The corporation is rarely, if ever, recognized,
Wealth of Nations is balanced or explored, or celebrated by secular intellec-
restrained by the homo “ethicus” tuals as, quite possibly, the most impactful
of The Theory of Moral and quintessentially secular institutional
In many respects, in fact, this is precise- Sentiments. The unfetteredly competitive, form in human affairs. Might it be that the
ly the kind of society that secularists seem self-interested (but optimally responsible or excesses to which corporations are prone
to seek—a pluralistic context in which indi- enlightened) exchange of goods and services cut too close to home—underscoring the
viduals may conduct their affairs with min- in the marketplace is thought to be balanced challenges of checking individual and insti-
imal intrusion or constraint from govern- or restrained by a natural moral force (which tutional self-interest in the secular pursuit
ment or neighbor (apart from limits that Smith calls “sympathy”) that is embedded in of this-worldly rewards?
are reasonably imposed by law), with little the species but strengthened by religion.
or no reference to supernatural ideas (or American religious conservatives have
transcendental authority for one’s activities faith in an invisible hand operating in the
or decisions), no fixed doctrine or creed, corporate arena—as long as
emphasis on reasoned and evidence-based this is bolstered by religious Frank L. Pasquale, PhD, is a cultural anthropologist who stud-
decision-making, and a purposive focus on reinforcement of moral senti- ies personal and institutional forms of secularity in the United
decidedly this-worldly pursuits and physical ments and sanctions in the States. He contributed to The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief
well-being. hearts and minds (or souls and (Prometheus Books, 2007). He is a research associate with the
But when they look at the moral or eth- consciences) of all participants. Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture.
ical ethos of corporate capitalism, many Secular liberals, absent suffi-

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